I need a job!!!! like right now.. I am tired of waiting…

I recently read an informative piece by Job Talk With Anita Clew called: “Hiring Process”. This article discusses two employment options that staffing agencies offer: temp-to-hire and direct hire.  At the end of her article a reader posted the following comment:

“yeah ok.. i need a job!!!! like right now.. i am tired of waiting for a agency to call me.”

My article is in response to the reader’s comment.  I know she is not alone in this sentiment of frustration and in no way do I write to belittle the fact that anyone currently searching for a job has a reason or right to be frustrated.  You’re feelings are VALID!

However…

In a tough job market like today, no one can wait for an agency to call them. Agency account mangers are bombarded with tons of applicants and fewer available positions than normal. When a job comes up, the account manger will usually think to his/herself: “Hmmmm who would be good for this position?”  And quite naturally his/her mind will roam to the persons whose names and faces have continually come up before them. Or, IF the job opening requires some type of uncommon skill and work experience, and you have that uncommon work experience, then your name or face might flash before the account mangers eyes and he/she will look for you.

It is unlikely that waiting for a call will result in a job placement. You as the job-seeker (job-needer) must make sure that your name and face continually comes up before your account manager. No, I’m not saying that you should drop by the agency’s office 3 times a week, but at the very least you should:

1. Call the agency weekly
2. Do the online tutorials that many agencies offer, and then request to take more of the skills test. This will cause your electronic profile to continuously keep updating with a fresh date.
3. Update and/or refine your résumé, upload it to the system and email it to your account manager about 2 times a month.
4. Use the agency’s online job search tool and apply for positions that fit your qualifications and that you would be willing to accept.
5. Work regularly with multiple agencies, but put more of your efforts into working with the account manager that has been most responsive.

So many people need a job right now, and it is hard to keep tugging along when nothing seems to be working. But remember, it is the one who stays diligent in business who will find his/herself standing in front of their new boss with a smile and a sense of relief.

~ Keep your head up!  Michelle Walker-Wade

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You are free to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work Under the following conditions: (1) Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). (2) Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes. (3) No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

Poll – What Components of a Résumé Make the Biggest Impact?

Cast your vote please!  You may choose up to THREE!

Also, if you are a HR professional or a hiring manger, please feel free to add additional comments and share your perspective.   Thank you!

I look forward to seeing your replies!

~ Michelle Walker-Wade

Things That may Cause Your Résumé to Get Ignored

Tons of people are on the hunt for a job. Some are hunting more fervently than others, putting out résumés for every job in sight, yet getting no bites.  So what are some reasons that may cause your résumé to get ignored?  I’m sure you’ve heard that your résumé should be error free with no typos. While I agree with this as a goal, I must tell you that I have in fact called in an individual for an interview who had a less than perfect résumé.  So, let’s consider a few other résumé faux pas I believe can hurt you:

• Your résumé does not have the correct vocabulary or keywords for the job or industry for which you are applying.

 

• You have included the job or industry keywords, but you have not used them in the correct context of the job; it looks like you’ve found the right words to use, but have no idea how to use them.

 

• When comparing the body of your résumé to the job posting there is no connection between the two. The way I see it, if you did not take time to show me how you qualify for this open position, I cannot take the time to figure it out either.

 

• You either have not included accomplishment statements or the accomplishment statements you have included seem too unrealistic; this makes me wonder about your integrity.

 

• You have an unprofessional email address listed in your contact information. Email addresses are free, so why not get one appropriate for business?

 

Lastly – and this is a true story – I once received a résumé from someone who had logo images next to each of the company names for which he had worked.  The images, obviously obtained from the company’s websites, were smudgy and pixilated.  This person’s intention was to get my attention – to make his résumé stand out in the crowd. I personally did not care for this approach, and I would not personally use this strategy; but it did make me vividly remember his résumé.  I interviewed him because other than the company logos, his résumé looked good, and he could have been the right person for the job. Although I ultimately did not hire him, more than 2 years later, I still have his résumé in my files… Not sure why though.

Your résumé is your marketing advertisement for yourself. I believe you would be better off putting additional time and intentional effort into improving the quality of each résumé instead of going at full-speed sending out the same old one.

~ Go do it! – Michelle Walker-Wade

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You are free to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work Under the following conditions: (1) Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the work). (2) Noncommercial — You may not use this work for commercial purposes. (3) No Derivative Works — You may not alter, transform, or build upon this work.

Top Three Reasons People Do not Get Hired After an Interview

According to a survey given to hiring committees, here are the top three reasons people do not get hired AFTER having participated in an interview.

1. Candidate was unable to respond to the questions. They either gave a single-word answer or answered a question other than the one that was asked.
2. Poor appearance. Candidate came to interview inappropriately dressed for that particular work environment.
3. Lack of individuality. The candidate did not open up enough to allow the interviewer(s) to get a sense of who he/she is.

I agree with the three top reasons listed above and have experienced all three during the interview process.  In addition to these, here are three more reasons that would make me think twice about the candidate

1. The candidate talks too much; rambling on and on or interrupting the interviewer.
2. The candidate has not prepared for the interview; he/she knows nothing about our organization.
3. The person who walks through the door is not the same person I’ve read about on paper (the résumé and cover letter do not match the person).

Trust me. Interviewers generally do not look forward to days and days of interviewing candidates. Anything you can do to make the interview a pleasant conversation is to your advantage.  Consider attending classes and workshops on getting a job. They are vital to your success!

~ Go out and make it happen! – Michelle Walker-Wade